GRAND FORKS, N.D. - There are several new changes that
North Dakota men's basketball fans will see when glancing at the team's
2012-13 schedule released on Monday by sixth-year head coach Brian Jones.

For starters, there will be 20 asterisks littering the schedule,
which signify a Big Sky Conference game. That is twice as many
conference games as the team played in 2011-12 when UND won its second
straight Great West Conference Tournament title.

There will only be 10 non-conference games, six of which will occur
on the road, while UND fans will be treated to four at the Betty
Engelstad Sioux Center.

One of those non-conference games will be unique as UND will be a
first-time participant in the Bracket Busters series. The Green and
White will play that game on the road (Feb. 23), but will host a game in
2013-14, while also hosting the team that they play in a separate game.

"What we are trying to do each year is get a stronger and stronger
non-league schedule, just to prepare us for where we are today and that
is the Big Sky Conference," Jones said. "We're going to be tested early,
but I think that is the way our guys want it and our staff wants it."

Despite those changes, fans will also see some familiar regional
rivalries that have been rekindled over the past several seasons,
including Northern Iowa, South Dakota State and North Dakota State.

UND will open the season with four of its first five games on the
road in November. That stretch begins with a clash at Kansas State on
Nov. 9 and after its lone home game of the month versus Crown College on
Nov. 14, UND will play games at Northern Iowa (Nov. 17), at Hawai'i
(Nov. 20) and at South Dakota State (Nov. 28).

December is a little easier on travel with four of six games slated
for UND's home court. The month begins with a home tilt against UMKC
before UND will take the 80-mile trek south to face long-time rival
North Dakota State at the Fargodome. This will be the third-straight
season these teams have met with each winning on their respective home
courts during that stretch.

Big Sky play also begins for UND in December. The first official
league game is at Southern Utah on Dec. 17 and will be followed by the
first home Big Sky game versus Northern Colorado on Dec. 21.

"I really like the consistency of our schedule," Jones added. "We
really try to do a good job of scheduling (similar) opponents that will
get us ready for Big Sky play. We have a veteran team and this is the
type of team that can handle a schedule like (this)."

The month concludes with what will be the team's final
non-conference game besides the Bracket Buster tilt as Bowling Green
pays a visit to the BESC on Dec. 28.

UND begins a stretch of 15-straight league games at Idaho State
(Jan. 3) - a team that the Green and White split a home-and-home series
with during 2011-12.

UND went 2-2 against Big Sky teams during its 17-15 record last
season, falling at Sacramento State and defeating Montana in overtime at
home as well. The trip to Grand Forks for Montana was the first since
1963, while Montana State has not played in town since 1958. Those two
clubs visit the BESC on Jan. 10 and Jan. 12, respectively.

"I'm very excited about having a 20-game league schedule that will
bring a consistency of teams and some rivalries that as coaches, players
and fans we can start to get to know and know what these teams are
about," Jones said.

The Big Sky will offer four first-time opponents for UND as the
Green and White have never played Eastern Washington, Northern Arizona,
Southern Utah or Weber State on the hardwood before this season.

The Big Sky Tournament will start March 14 with the top seven teams
advancing to play on the home court of the regular-season champion and
No. 1 seed.

Single-game tickets for University of North Dakota men's and
women's basketball will go on sale to the general public on Friday,
Sept. 14 at 10 a.m. Champions Club members can participate in a pre-sale
for single-game tickets on Thursday, Sept. 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Season ticket packages also remain available for men's and women's
basketball. Prices for all single-game tickets range from $7.00 to
$12.00 for adults and $5.00 for youth tickets. Tickets can be purchased
at the UND Box Office at Ralph Engelstad Arena, or via
Ticketmaster.com.

Fans wishing to purchase group tickets (10 or more) can do so by
contacting UND's Director of Ticket Sales, Dexter Albrecht, at
701.777.4582.